Demons at Oxford!
by AbhorsenSabriel87
Summary: The Tentei have been disbanded after four years of service, and after dealing with Mukuro, Hiei has returned to Ningenkai... only to find that Kurama is at Oxford for college! What will become of these two demons in London? Only time will tell...
1. Oxford

Hello again readers! I'm on a Yu Yu Rampage right now, mainly because I'm being bugged to do them but also because I have far too many ideas floating around that it's bugging me and keeping me from doing my homework. So, enough of that and onto the disclaimer. No muses this time, mainly because they're all still pissed at me for my angst-streak lately... not the point.

Anywho, I don't own anything even remotely related to _Yu Yu Hakusho_. So if you try to sue me, you're a fraken idiot. (Also, the word "fraken" comes from _Battlestar Galactica_, something else I do not own at all.) This story is also yaoi based and I'll let you decide who it is simply by reading it. Onward readers!

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_Freedom at last._ The thought had been made by a young man staring at the pale blue sky of mid-afternoon Ningenkai. He leaned against a poplar tree, staring through the flowers to the summer day, a slight smile crossing his childish face as the slight breeze ruffled his dark hair gently. _We've finally been cleared and disbanded,_ he thought in relief, his crimson gaze watching the slight wisps of clouds pass overhead. _And only after three years. I must be very lucky, or Koenma very stupid. Or both,_ he added as an after-thought, the smirk becoming slightly smug. _At least Mukuro's done with me for a while, or else I'd have to fight another of her pointless skirmishes against Raizen and Yusuke... How annoying._ He sighed and straightened up, brushing off the sleeves of his white Oxford shirt and his dark navy jeans. _Enough stalling; I've got to do what I came here to do._

He turned around and glanced over the house behind him. It wasn't very big, as it was a little closer to the outskirts of town, but it seemed strangely relaxing and at home for any passing by. Rose vines rose up the trellace in complex twists and turns, and the brick house was shaded beautifully by the poplar he'd just been leaning against. Taking a deep breath and running a hand nervously through his hair as if to smooth it out (it simply defied him by sticking straight up once more), the young man walked up the four front steps and opened the front door, a first for visiting this particular house. Walking in silently, he closed the door behind him and looked around.

The whole inside of the house seemed almost cleared out; most of the great classics that previously littered the shelves of the mahogany bookcase in the main room had been taken down, making the case look empty and forgotten. As he looked around in confusion, a woman came up behind him and startled him by saying quietly, "Konnichi wa, Hiei" The man spun around quickly, a hint of relief crossing his face as he bowed to the woman, who was portrayed as in her late forties with dark hair and eyes typical of Japanese people. "Minamino-dono," he replied softly, standing straight again, "I didn't know you'd be home. Is Suiichi here?"

"I'm afraid you've just missed him," she replied quietly. Unfazed, Hiei replied, "Ah, I understand. Where is he?"

"At school." This puzzled him slightly, so he asked, "What is he doing there? I thought Ningenkai schools ended a few days ago, Shiori-san." The woman smiled in a mysterious (and slightly infuriating) fashion. "They do," she answered calmly. "He's gone away to college. He would have told you, had you been here. But he said you were busy and that you wouldn't mind anyway." The young man flinched slightly. Suiichi had gone away to college and hadn't told him? That wasn't like him at all... Was something the matter with him? Smiling at his worried expression, Shiori added, "I suppose he didn't tell you, then. That's all right, I'll relate it instead. Have some tea with me and I'll explain." She turned and walked into the kitchen, Hiei following her silently as she turned on the stove and placed the kettle over the open gas flame.

"Suiichi is a very smart boy," Shiori began, taking the tea down from one of the cabinets as Hiei sat in one of the chairs by the window. "Because of that, he was offered many scholarships to various schools in and out of Japan. One of these schools he happened to have wanted to go to for quite a long time, so he wasted no time in leaving so that he could secure a good position in the dorms and shops nearby."

"Which one did he decide to attend?" Hiei asked, watching as a bird flew onto the windowsill and stared at him for a moment before fluttering away again. Shiori smiled and took the whistling tea kettle from the stove, pouring water equally into two mugs. "He chose Oxford University," she replied quietly, smiling softly but proudly. Hiei, however, looked startled as she handed him his tea. "Oxford?" he asked. "In London? Why would he go so far?"

"He wants to be the best. You know that better than anyone," she replied delicately, sipping the hot liquid carefully. "Since he can't go back to his original occupation the way he is now, he's decided to make things better for this world." Hiei grew quiet and drank his tea, unaware of the scalding liquid's heat. Why did he have to go so far? And without telling him... was he trying to get away from this life? Away from him? Shiori glanced over at one of her and her son's best friend and saw the worried and thoughtful expression across his features. She had to smile; Hiei had to have been one of the most confidant people she knew, and even if he wasn't the most trusting person in the world he seemed to trust her son with any secret. It was almost amusing to see him sitting there, drinking the almost boiling tea as if it were room temperature and looking so insecure. But because she was not the type to enjoy other people's confusion and torment, she added, "Although, I do have something to ask of you, if there's no trouble."

Hiei looked up and put the half-empty mug on the table before replying, "No trouble at all. How may I be of service?" Shiori glanced out the window and appeared to be thoughtful, as if asking Hiei of this particular favor was rather difficult or embarrassing for her. After a moment, she sighed and looked back to him, smiling gently. "I'm worried about Suiichi being so far from home without knowing anyone," she said in a motherly tone. "I know he can defend himself, but there are times I still worry for him. I only want him to be safe and happy." She locked her gaze with Hiei's ruby one, firm but gentle as always. "Do you think, perhaps, that you could go as well, just to keep an eye on him?"

Hiei blinked, a little confused but more than ready to take up the option. He was about to reply with an over-enthusiastic "Of course!" when pride stopped him, as did sensibility. "I have not been to London in a very long time, Minamino-dono," he answered quietly, "and I doubt at so late would I be able to qualify for a position as a student, let alone be in all of his classes with him."

Shiori smiled again and reached over to a set of papers on the counter. "I thought you'd be a little hesitant," she replied quietly, "so I did a little research. It turns out that they're not offering any more student positions, but a few new teaching prospects have popped up." She handed the papers over to Hiei and he glanced over them, frowning as he considered the options. "One of them happens to be Mythology and the like," she continued. "I thought you might like to teach that, if nothing else."

Hiei looked back up at her, an "I-know-you-planned-this" look on his face. "How long were you waiting to ask me?" he asked dryly.

"Since Suiichi said he'd be going," Shiori replied. "I knew that Yusuke and Kazuma would either never want to go or could never aquire the means to stay out of trouble. Besides, they're only seventeen. They niether have the training, nor the experiance to teach, let alone at a world-renowned college like Oxford." Hiei thought about it for a moment; if Suiichi had truly left because he wanted to get away from this life, going to London would only make matters worse. But then again, if that was _not_ the case, Hiei could very well keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't get into any trouble. After all, Europe is infamous for its "native habitants". He sighed in mild defeat and nodded. "All right," he replied. "I'll go. When should I leave?"

"There's a plane to London at 6:00 tonight," Shiori answered without hesitation, handing over a small envolope. "I already have your ticket, so you better hurry and pack before you miss it. The dead-line for the applications is tomorrow." A slightly panicked look crossed the little demon's face and he took the plane ticket from Shiori quickly, but not rudely. "You planned this all along, didn't you?" he asked, sarcasm touching his voice irritably. Shiori only smiled and answered that he should go if he didn't wish to be late. As he left, the ningen woman could see a small grin touch his face as he closed the door and left her sight in a matter of seconds.

_Take care of my boy, Hiei_, she thought, smiling as she finished her tea and placed the two mugs in the sink. _I know niether of us will ever get over it if you can't._

Back with Hiei, his heart felt lighter than it had in days as he raced through the city, using as many back alleys and shortcuts he knew of to get home quickly. This could provide a perfect opportunity for him to speak with Suiichi... with _Kurama_ about what he had to. After all, what's the likelihood of him being Suiichi's teacher in a school that big?

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Short, I know, but the next chapter will be up in a jiffy I swear! --chibi smile-- Read and review onegai!


	2. Archer

Hallelujah! Someone reviewed! I'm so happy! --big chibi grin-- Anyway, to thank you, I shall respond to you and write another chappie, just for you all! And in the responses, I shall actually include the reviews this time, unlike usual. -.-U Too many people keep saying they have no idea what I'm thanking them for at school...

KyoHana said: I'm so used to seeing Kurama as the 'teacher' and Hiei as 'student' in most fics, but this is a pleasant change. You've got a very good first chapter written. I'm glad to see there is a relationship between Hiei and Shiori as well... I've always felt that if Shiori had known about Hiei, she would have accepted him as her own! Hope to see another chapter from you soon!  
--Sabriel replies: Yeah, a lot of people say that oddly enough. But I thought that since I see Hiei as the older of the two, he would be more qualified to be a teacher, experienced enough to talk about it first-hand, and smart enough to not give away his "secret" about being a demon. Thank you for the compliment as well. I like to know that I'm doing well!  
As for the bit about Hiei and Shiori, I thought the same thing. Here's your chapter, and thanks for the review!

Marikalay said: A promising start. I look forward to reading more.  
--Sabriel replies : Short and sweet. Thanks for the comment!

Sesshystalker said: Please write more! I'm anxious to find out what happens when Hiei starts to teach... how would that work out?  
--Sabriel replies: Here's the next chapter for you. As for Hiei teaching, that will explained later. Thanks for reviewing!

Black Water-Fox said: Hehe I really like it  
--Sabriel replies: Again, short but welcomed. Thank you very much.

And last, but most definitely not least;

Trenity170 said: ugh... Yaoi. What do I tell you Krad? Really! Though... --looks over grudging-- it's good... I'll give you that. it's good. ugh.  
--Sabriel replies: Yah, yah, I know Tren. And personally, I just need to get this idea out of my head before it starts to have a cult. And thank you for the honest compliment/review!

Since that is all of the reviews, I shall now begin… The second chapter! --fanfare goes off-- Onward! (BTW, this one's a bit boring and OOC, but bear with me here.)

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"Are you sure, Hiei-san?" Hiei glanced over at the real-estate agent sitting at his kitchen table. "This place is worth far more than what you're asking for it, and you're placing it fully furnished at that," the agent complained. He was of average appearance of the Japanese people and seemed rather annoyed and frazzled. "You've had the property out only for a few days and everyone's wondering what the catch is! Please reconsider sir!"

"The price will stay as is," Hiei answered calmly, sipping his scalding hot tea. "How much do the others of this area cost?" The real-estate agent sighed and looked back to his computer, clicking and typing for a moment. "All over one hundred and seventy-five million yen," he sighed, bowing his head for the millionth time in the past week. This was one person who didn't ask _too much_ for his property; he priced it so far _down_ that there was no way he could ever sell it! "Are you absolutely sure you want to sell it for only ten million yen?" Hiei gave the man a slightly annoyed look. For the past three days since he'd been back in Japan, this agent has been bugging him to raise the price on his residence... which at the moment stood just under $100,000 US currency. But he needed to sell the condominium quickly or else he'd not have enough time to get ready for the school year that started in only two months. Truth be told, he really didn't _want_ to leave it behind; it was a very nice little place, perfect for his needs with a little extra as well. As he waited for the phone to ring or someone to knock on the door, he thought about his first day at Oxford University in over two hundred years.

_It was pleasant enough; the grounds were large, spacious, and well cared for, all of the outside still held the mid-1800's charm it'd had when it was built, and the inside was still much like it was with a few adjustments to cope with the twenty-first century. Hiei had made his way among the few students and staff to the office of the headmaster to turn in the form he'd finished just before getting on the plane over here. The time zones were different by about seven hours, but he felt all right, considering circumstances..._

_"Is there something I can do for you?" Hiei turned to see a young man in an Oxford blazer standing there looking at him expectantly. He was tall like most of the population, standing around five-foot eight with dusty brown hair and silver-grey eyes like a wolf's. He gave the impression of one as well; a loner, intellectual, calculating, and yet respectful and wary._

"_I'm looking for the headmaster," Hiei explained calmly, easily flipping over to the English dialect with a slightly Olde English accent to match. "Might you know where he is at this moment?"_

"_What is your business with him?" the young man asked, adjusting his wire-thin glasses on his rather narrow nose. Hiei smirked slightly; he liked this kid already. And unlike most of his people, he enunciated his words clearly and precisely so that even Yusuke could catch onto it easily."As a matter of fact, I'm here to apply for a position in this college," he answered without hesitation. "I only need to turn in my form and await his summons for an interview."_

_The young man smiled again and once more adjusted his glasses. "And what position is that, sir?" he asked calmly. "I know almost all of the applicants and I assure you that you may have a difficult time getting any position as either a student or staff member." Once more, Hiei smirked. This kid was a sharp one. He'd have to watch out in case he ever got on his bad side._

"_As a matter of fact," he answered, keeping his voice a cool and even tone, "I was applying for one of the teaching positions here." Now the young man looked over his glasses and scanned the small demon over. "Aren't you a bit... young?" he asked, finally gazing the pyromancer in the eye with a look of cold calculation. Hiei broadened his smirk and chuckled. "I can tell you that I am far older than I look," he murmured, returning the gaze with one of his own taunting glances. Appearing satisfied, the young man re-adjusted his glasses for the third time this conversation and smiled slightly._

"_Very well," he finally replied. He held out his hand and continued, "I'll make sure your application gets to the headmaster safely. After all, I'm his most trusted friend." Hiei smiled again and, not detecting a false-hood, opened his briefcase, pulling out a clean and crisp packet of paper, the only markings being in a very neat, sharp, slightly looped writing on the lines necessary. Taking the packet gently, the young man bowed to the fire apparition and left swiftly, his black loafers swishing quietly with the young man's slightly dragged step._

The phone suddenly rang, snapping Hiei from his daydream. Also caught by surprise, the realtor jumped in his chair as Hiei picked up the device calmly in the middle of the second ring. "_Moshi moshi_," he said calmly, staring out the window as a young male voice came through the other end. "Ah, _moshi moshi_," the reciever said in an obviously American accent through some static and the sounds of a train on the other end. "I saw the newspaper about a condo in Tokyo for sale. Is this the right number?"

Well, his phone manners were not to Japanese standard, but then again, Hiei had never really liked ningen customs as much as Kurama... or the devices either, for that matter. At least he was direct enough. "Yes, you have the right number," Hiei said, making sure his voice was clear, precise, and easy to understand through the background noise and static. "This is the owner speaking."

"Oh, good!" the voice replied back. "Do you have directions from the Tokyo train station? I haven't been here in years and everything's changed."

...Ningens. Could kill them or let the population run rampant with idiots. Damned if you do, damned if you don't... Life really was a pain in the ass sometimes. Or maybe that was justKoenma.

Hiei quickly gave easy to follow directions and hung up the phone almost immediately, saying they'd have a quick rain-check on the price when the kid got here. The realtor looked at the demon expectantly as he slid his small and well-built form into the windowsill again. "He'll be here in about twenty minutes," Hiei said without turning his eyes from his view of the city. He'd never really liked the city all that much; far too many people and an almost illegal amount of noise. Because of this revelation, Hiei had specifically redesigned the little apartment-sized area to suit him. Thus saying, very few people ever bothered him anymore... well, at least _here_ in the house. There were plenty of nuisances _outside_.

_Hiei had only stayed in London for a day when promptly at noon a messenger dropped by with a notice for him. He'd taken the note and scanned through it as the postman walked away, claiming he'd already been payed for the delivery. The notice had been written on Oxford stationary in fine and loopy handwriting, like that you would see from a letter a few hundred years ago. It was a simple, yet elgent note, with an even simpler message; come back to Oxford for an interview today at two-fifteen. It was easy enough to understand, and even easier to act out._

_Walking up to the school, Hiei smirked at the short run it had been. True, he'd stayed over a mile outside of the city limits and Oxford was very near the heart of London, but it was brisk and welcoming nontheless. The day was much clearer than it had been the day before, giving the entirety of the grounds an emerald glow. The fire youkai noted that Kuramamight have kissed the groundskeepers for maintaining the grounds so well, but he had yet to see the kitsune. Then again, that couldn't have been that bad of a thing, considering that Hiei didn't want him to know he was here... yet._

_He shook his head and walked inside the building, his black Army standard boots silencing his step on the stone floor as well as his unconsciously trained ability to do so in the first place. He'd replaced his usual and more comfortable cloak and scarf (as it was far too warm and moist out for even him to wear it) with a rich brown and rather loose long-sleeved shirt tucked into a pair of comfortable lapis lazuli toned jeans, which in turn tucked tight into his firmly laced boots. His wards still remained; the dragon bandages being covered by his long sleeves and his Jagan ward masking as a bandana. He eased his way past the few students and staff easily; being short had its advantages, even though it meant admitting that what his two baka Spirit Detective companions had told him so many times over the years had some truth to it. __When he reached the office of the headmaster, he placed his hand on the door and opened it, the clock behind him ticking just to 2:15. Right on time._

_"Ah, you made it. Perfect punctuality as well, I might add. I like you already." A familiar voice came from the hard mahogany desk by the window of the large office. Sitting in the large high-backed blood-red chair behind it was the same young man from the day before, smiling at him in an all-knowing and mischevious way. "Please, have a seat," he dictated, motionting to the two chair in front of the desk. Hiei overcame his surprise and grinned, closing the door behind him firmly as he walked farther into the room, not at all intimidated by its vastness. As a matter of fact, he felt far more comfortable in this room than the one at Kurama's high school in Japan; the principal had managed to catch him conversing with Kurama at lunch and managed to also drag him off and "chew him out" as the ningen saying went. Fortunately, Hiei had experiance in that sort of berrating and tactfully countered the barrage of questions, insults, and threats with his own until he was allowed to leave. Or, actually, **took** his leave._

_"So, **you** are the headmaster," Hiei stated, smirking slightly. "You must either have few friends or the biggest case of Narcissism_ _personality disorder I have ever seen. One would explain the other, but I'd rather your opinion." The young man laughed aloud, a merry sound in its own way, sounding like Yusuke in another. "You are rather bold for someone in no position to be so," the man replied, smiling cunningly as his eyes flashed in the same way. "Any particular reason why I shouldn't have security escort you out right now for such a blatent disregard for my authority?"_

_"Hm, can't think of any. Why don't you then?" The headmaster held his chin in one of his long hands, appearing thoughtful. "Good point," he answered finally. "It's because I like your attitude, I guess. You aren't much like anyone here and I think that it might just shape up a few of the more 'unreasonable' of my students. Do you have any other wishes other than to be a part of the teaching staff?"_

_"None at present." As firey as his powers were, Hiei always managed to talk like his voice and heart were laced with ice. "But then again, you have to accept my application before I can even begin to ask for favors."_

_"How old are you exactly, my little friend? You certainly seem older than your rather nicely written papers say."_

_"Older than you and most certainly old enough to know what I'm talking about," Hiei answered without pause. "Why? Does it matter if I lie about my age or not, so long as you have a useful teacher? It's not as if I'm being ridiculous in my falsehoods, even if said lies are not present." Once more, the man laughed, this time standing to his full height. "Very true," he answered, aligning some papers on his desk. "Alright, what shall I call you then? Your name was left blank, so I'm afraid I have no idea."_

_"Since you've earned the right," Hiei responded slyly, "I may as well tell you. I am known as Hiei, and that is all I ask to be called. Ever."_

_"Well, a pleasure then, Professor Hiei. As the Headmaster of Oxford University of London, I hereby grant your application. You shall have your classroom and students." Both men shook hand firmly, each now with at least slight respect for the other. "But I have a favor of you then, Hiei," he added as the Koorime was about to walk out the door. When he turned back, the silver eyed man grinned, his eyes glittering. "Never call me Headmaster, as I know it annoys you. Just call me Archer Wolfe. Either is fine, but I'd prefer you don't be so stuffy and formal with me." Hiei smirked broadly, mischief and mayhem portrayed equally in his childish face._

_"Oh don't worry Archer; formality is the **last** thing on my mind."_

A sharp knocking came from the door and Hiei once more snapped awake from the memory, moving to the door before the realtor could even begin to get up. Once opened, the visitor was revealed to be a young man of about twenty standing five foot eleven with short, wavy, ash blonde hair, lightly tanned skin, and powder blue eyes. Startled by the sudden opening of the door, the young man blinked and stared at the opened space above Hiei's head for a moment before glancing downward. "Ah," he said, his voice tapped with a slight accent the demon couldn't quite place. "Is this the right place? Are you the guy selling this condo fully furnished for ten million yen?"

"_Hai_." Hiei stepped aside and motioned for the man to enter. "Come in," he said impatiently at his hesitance. "You can't buy it if you haven't _seen_ it." Unsure, the American stepped through the door, slipping off his shoes and placing them off to the side before entering the living room. "Who's this guy?" he asked Hiei, who glanced where he was pointing.

"The real estate agent who listed my residence," he answered simply. He looked back over and asked pointedly, "Would you rather I speak English while I give you a tour? I think you could decide better if someone was talking quickly in a language you understood more." The young man looked over at him, then nodded. "'Kay, sounds great by me," he replied, flipping directly into English. Hiei inwardly groaned. Now he knew where that accent came from; New York City. "Follow me," he sighed, motioning. "And you stay put," he said to the real estate agent, who had opened his mouth to object then shut it at the comment. The American, confused slightly by Hiei's blunt rudeness (as the Japanesepeopleare normallynotoriously polite), simply followed the demon into the kitchen on the left of the entrance. At the look of astonishment on his face, Hiei smirked slightly and leaned against the wall as the kid looked around in awe.

The entire kitchen was spotless and completely modernized with all the best equipment around. The only thing seemingly out of place was the oven, which was an old fashioned wood-fire like the ones used at (good) pizza parlors. The stove was run on gas and against the wall between the oven and the refrigerator, which was black so not to show fingerprints on its surface. Beside it were various cabinets and a small wine cooler, which at the moment held two white wines and three reds. A small rectangular table rested against the wall next to the door with two chairs placed by it, and the entire room gleamed white as if to say a clean room in the hospitals were as filthy as a two month-old sandwich left in the back of a kindergarten teacher's refrigerator. The white floor, seemingly marble, was completely free of any dirt or food splatters, as were the white painted walls.

"This is amazing," the American breathed, staring about in amazement. He turned around slowly, as if in suspicion. "How much did you say this place cost?"

"Well within your price range, I assure you," Hiei answered without hesitation, glancing about himself. _It's a shame to leave,_ he thought absently, _but I really don't want to have to deal with jet lag twice a day, everyday._ He looked back at the American, who had apparently asked him a question. Fortunately, the American asked again without Hiei responding. "Do you cook a lot or something? 'Cuz this place is perfect for my friend if he moves in here too."

Hiei nodded slightly. "I dabble in it," he responded cooly. "Everything in here is yours to keep,other thana few spices I need to retrieve from the cabinates." He glanced around again until his eyes settled on the hall. "Shall we continue?"

The New Yorker nodded and followed Hiei into the hall as the smaller male opened another door. This room resembled a study, being lined from ceiling to floor on one wall with a bookcase (packed with books, of course), a small Arab-style hanging cot under the window, and a mahogany desk and chair opposite the bookcase. "This is the study," Hiei explained simply for clarity's sake. "Everything in here will remain in here except for some of the books." The human nodded, still amazed even in the simplicity as Hiei pointed out the guest bathroom and bedroom. Both of these looked as if they'd never been touched, save them being remarkably clean and the bedroom fully furnished as well with one chair, a bed, a small bookcase,and a dresser.

"Has anyone ever lived here besides you?" the American asked casually, walking around the spare room.

"Yes, about two years ago," Hiei answered slowly. "Why? Does it matter?" The American shrugged lazily, muttering something off in random Brooklyn slang. "It doesn't really," he finally replied, walking out of the room. "It just seemed like a girl had lived there for a while." Hiei was impressed, which happened to be a rare occurence. It wasn't exactly obvious that he'd had a roommate before, and she'd been gone for almost two years now. Maybe not all ningens were imperceptive twits...

The last room remaining was the main bedroom, the room Hiei frequented the least (to be perfectly honest, he preferred the couch, study, or windowseat far more for sleeping places). Unlike the rest of the condo, this room looked completely remodled from the initial design, taking up a 14th century gothic look. The floor had dark hardwood dyed nearly black, and all of the furniture was built from ebony... and also rather obviously had been crafted by hand. Two chairs beside a small table for studying, a bureau adorned by a silver mirror, and a four-poster canopy bed occupied the small room well. The American gaped openly once again, stepping into the room as if he'd just stepped into a dream.

"...There's no way I can afford this place," he muttered, turning back to Hiei, eyes wide in amazement and confusion. "Hell, I couldn't even afford half the _stuff_ here, let alone _all_ of it _and_ the condo."

"We can work something out," Hiei stated cooly, giving the ningen a direct look in the eyes. "Now, do you like the place or not? I'm selling to the first buyer, so make a decision quickly." The New Yorker hesitated, looking at the fire demon as if he didn't believe him. Hiei decided to try a different approach. "What's your name, and what business do you havein Japan?"

The human looked at him, slightly startled, but glad to be off the subject of the price. "My name's Jared McConnely," he stated. "I was given a scolarship to a college here and decided to try it out. But I heard the housing was really expensive, so..."

"You decided to look around the paper," Hiei concluded, watching with mild intrest as the human male before him nodded solemnly. "Not a bad choice. It led you _here_, didn't it?"

"Yeah, but still, there's no way I can afford this place!" the American exclaimed, running a weather-beaten hand through his short blonde hair to get the stray locks out of his face. "How much are you initially offering? Just tell me before you put me off any longer." Hiei sighed, rolling his eyes in dismay. This had been going so well, too... "Ten millon yen," he answered firmly. "That's around $84, 536. Anything wrong with it?"

Jared sighed, shaking his head. "No, not really," he answered grimly. "But I was right; I can't afford it. I'm only a college student with only about 50k to start out that my dad loaned me." Hiei looked at the New Yorker, for once slightly concerned. "What are you studying?" he asked suddenly, causing the human to look up in alarm.

"Uh... art, actually. Art, music, and psychology." Hiei smiled, a rather cunning smile that made the human shift uneasily under his red gaze. "Good," he answered simply. "Then I have a proposition for you..."

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Okay, sorry about the boring chappie, but I'll pick it up again soon. Anywho, moving on, I'll have a much better chapter up soon, this time from Kurama's POV! --gaspeth-- Anywho, since you've obviously read, please review. I'll get the yaoi-goodieness up within the next four chapters or so. -.-U Sorry, but I have to go through prelims first.

Until then though, sayonara!


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